Batticaloa journalist, 2 youths reported missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Friday, 20 July 2007, 11:07 GMT]A Tamil journalist from Batticaloa, and two youths disappeared from Colombo last week, sources in Colombo said. P. Rathakrishnan, deputy minister and Upcountry People's Front (UPF) parliamentarian Thursday, meeting with the parents of the missing persons from Upcountry, said: "abductions and extortions appear to have resumed again in Colombo and this is an issue of great danger to our people." Mr. Rathakrishnan has received 124 complaints of abductions.

Sakthivel Prakash, 29, a journalist from Batticaloa, Kathiravel Chanthiravel, 23, of Puthuchcheddi street, and Mahenthirarajah Vigneswaran, a student aged 28, of Kotahena were identified as the youths missing.

Rathakrishnan also said that he had provided details of the abductions to the Police Commissioner conveying the fear for the safety of the abducted.

"I have received 124 complaints on abductions, extortion and persons gone missing. I will not tolerate injustice even if it is my party that is responsible for the governance of Sri Lanka," the junior minister said.

"Permanent peace can never be achieved by war and it could be reached only through negotiations. This is the stand of the UPF," he added.